I’m into protein shakes these days. Love them as a first morning meal and sometimes when working from home as a late afternoon snack. They are also a great inclusion for pre or post workout if you can make that happen. But I am a stickler for taste…and some of the shakes that I have tried from others’ recipes just don’t cut it for me flavour-wise.

Walnuts, dates and cinnamon are a classic combo so after a few tries, voila, I created a cinnamon-y masterpiece, if I say so myself. Try it for it’s great health benefits – rich in the essential omega 3 and 6 fats, antioxidants including vitamin E and of course protein. To top it off, cinnamon slows down the passage of the food out of the stomach which aids in blood sugar stability and it could increase the availability of the protein due to its slower digestion. Otherwise whey protein digests and gets absorbed within a short period of time (1 -2 hours depending on the variety and your personal biochemistry).

Walnut, Date and Cinnamon Protein Shake

Blend together:

4 ice cubes

1/4 large or 1/2 small banana

4 walnuts from the shell*

4 pecans from the shell*

2 pitted honey dates (or other date variety)

1 cup coconut water (100% unsweetened)

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

After blending the above to a smooth and mixed consistency, add:

2/3 scoop (20 g) vanilla protein powder**

1 tsp greens powder***

1 tb ground flaxseed

Blend for only a few seconds or long enough to mix thoroughly. (Too much mixing can destroy the structure of the protein. To be safe, I add my greens and flax at the end as well.) Serve.

* nuts, especially soft ones like walnuts, are fragile to rancidity – so whenever you can use them fresh from the shell